UN Condemns Israel for Latest School Attack in Gaza

Israel's air and ground assault against Hamas-led fighters in Gaza has forced many Palestinians to flee their homes, seeking safety. But safe places are hard to find, as VOA’s Scott Bobb reports from Jabaliya.

VIDEO: Israel's air and ground assault against Hamas-led fighters in Gaza has forced many Palestinians to flee their homes, seeking safety. But safe places are hard to find, as VOA’s Scott Bobb reports from Jabaliya.

The United Nations says all indicators are that Israeli artillery hit a U.N. school in the northern Gaza Strip early Wednesday, killing at least 16 people who were sheltering there, including children.

U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson was emotional as he spoke about the attack which also injured more than 100 people.

“Sometimes you run out of words,” he said before explaining that U.N. officials received news of the attack with “shock and dismay.”

The elementary school in Jabaliya is the fifth U.N. school sheltering Palestinian families to be attacked since hostilities began.

"They were there under U.N. protection — under our protection — and after warnings from the Israeli Defense Forces who had numerous times been informed about the presence of over 3,000 civilians at this location.”

Eliasson said the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which operates in Gaza, had communicated the school’s coordinates to the Israeli military authorities 17 times — as recently as last night, just a few hours before the attack. That agency also informs Hamas of U.N. locations.

“UNRWA’s initial assessment and all indicators are that it was Israeli artillery that hit the school," he said. "An Israeli spokesperson has confirmed that mortar fire had been coming from militants in the vicinity of the school and that Israeli troops had fired back in response.”

The U.N. is sheltering some 200,000 people at its facilities, including schools, in Gaza. John Ging, U.N. humanitarian operations chief, said that nearly 6,000 homes and 23 medical facilities have been destroyed. Six U.N. staff have also been killed during the conflict.

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by: AUBREY . K. CHINDEFU from: LUSAKA ZAMBIA

July 31, 2014 5:47 AM

The UN should not always adhere to American interests as a bench mark to decision making on international issues. What Israel is doing in Gaza relates to crimes against humanity and yet, UN has given it a blind eye. This is beacuse US has not condemend Israelites actions in Gaza. It has instead concentrated on the geopolitical issues of Russia and Ukraine as compared to social, health and human beings that being killed in Gaza-Palestine. We should all condemn in our strongest terms and issue relevant sanctions against Israel. This will act as a bench mark for future perpetrators of such acts against human nature.

by: Larry from: TX

July 31, 2014 12:50 AM

In Syria there is a mass slaughter of civilians, woman, and children. Hundreds of thousands have been mercilessly, deliberately annihilated.

During the past month, much much more children have been butchered in Syria than died in Gaza. Why is the outrage of the world focused solely on Gaza.

The media is obsessed in showing graphic photos of each and every injured child in Gaza. Take a look onsocial media, there is an absolute frenzy? Why the double standard???

Is it because in Syria, there are no JEWS to blame? Why is Israel always held to a much different standard then the rest of the world? Expected to react in a way that no other healthy, sane nation would?

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